20 Must Try Singapore Dishes and Where to find them

 Are you a bona fide Singapore foodie?

Forget about the fusion food; if you have yet to try all or any of the local dishes on this list, you probably have not visited any hawker centres. Whether a local or a tourist, you must try these 20 most popular local dishes in Singapore.

1 Hainanese Chicken Rice 

Hainanese Chicken Rice

 A steamed or roasted chicken dish served with rice cooked in chicken broth and a chilli sauce.

Where to find them

• Hawker or Food Courts.
• Specialised restaurants like Wee Nam Kee or Hawker Chan.
• Chatterbox @ Hilton for an upmarket experience.

2 Laksa 

Laksa

A spicy noodle soup made with a coconut milk-based broth served with vermicelli noodles and various ingredients such as shrimp, tofu, and bean sprouts.

Where to find them

Head to Katong for Laksa for an authentic taste

• 328 Katong Laksa 
• Janggut Laksa @ Roxy Square

3 Nasi Lemak 

Nasi Lemak

A popular breakfast dish of fragrant coconut rice served with various accompaniments such as fried anchovies, peanuts, boiled eggs, and a spicy chilli sauce.

Where to find them

Ponggol Nasi Lemak Centre at Tanjong Katong Road has one of the best review in town.

Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak @ Boon Lay Place Market and Food Village

4 Char Kway Teow 

Char Kway Teow

 A stir-fried noodle dish with flat rice noodles, bean sprouts, eggs, prawns, and Chinese sausage.

Where to find them

Hawkers are your best bet for a good place for Char Kway Teow

• Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee @ Hong Lim Market #02-17
• Hill Street Fried Kway Teow @ Bedok South Road Market #01-41
• Dong Ju Fried Kway Teow @ Old Airport Road Food Center #01-138

5 Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kuh Teh

A meaty pork rib soup cooked with herbs and spices.

Where to find them

Specialised Bak Kut Teh stores are the places to go to in town

• Sin Heng Claypot Bak Koot Teh @ Joo Chiat
• Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh @ Havelock Road
• Legendary Bak Kut Teh @ Rangoon

6 Chilli Crab 

Chilli Crab

 A dish of stir-fried crab in a spicy chilli tomato sauce.

Where to find them

 Seafood restaurants are the places to go for a good plate of Chilli Crabs

• Jumbo Seafood @ East Coast
• Roland Restaurant @ Marine Parade
• Hua Yu Wee Seafood Restaurant @ East Coast Park

7 Wanton Mee 

Wanton Noodle

 A dish of egg noodles served with various accompaniments such as barbecued pork, dumplings, and leafy greens.

Where to find them

 Hawker Centre and Kopitiam

Standalone Stalls

• Fei Fei Wanton Mee @ Joo Chiat
• Eng 's Char Siew Wantan Mee @ Tanjong Katong

8 Rojak 

Rojak

A fruit and vegetable salad dish with a sweet and sour sauce made from a combination of tamarind, palm sugar, and chilli paste.

Where to find them

 Hawker Centre and Kopitiam

• 684 Black and White Rojak @ 684 Hougang Ave #01-983 S530684
• Lau Hong Ser @ 281 Onan Road #02-14 S424661

9 Mee Goreng

Mee Goreng

 A stir-fried noodle dish made with egg noodles, vegetables, and a variety of protein options such as beef, chicken, or prawns.

Where to find them

Usually found in hawker stalls and standalone supper places

• Al Jasra @ 459 Changi Rd, S419882
• Shah Alam Restaurant @ 20 Circular Road, S 049376
• Ajimer Sharif @ Tekka Market Food Centre #01-285 S 210665

10 Satay 

Satay

 Skewered and grilled meat, typically chicken or beef, served with a peanut sauce.

Where to find them

While you can find satay in hawker stores, the best place to have satay will be in places well-known for multiple satay sellers.

• Lau Pa Sat 
• Chomp Chomp Food Center
• East Coast Lagoon Food Village

11 Fish Head Curry 

Fish Head Curry

 A spicy fish head stew made with spices and coconut milk.

Where to find them

Fish head curry is only a dish found in some places. However, these are the top recommended places for a good bowl of Fish head curry to enjoy with the family.

• NaNa Curry Chain (Locations)
• Pavilion Banana Leaf (Location)
• Ocean Curry Fish Head (Locations)

12 Fried Carrot Cake 

Fried Carrot Cake

A savoury dish made from a mixture of rice flour and grated white radish, stir-fried with eggs, chives, and sometimes shrimp.

Where to find them

A good place for Fried Carrot Cake can be found in hawkers or food centres.

Here are some of the recommended ones in town

• Fried Carrot Cake @ Clementi Food Centre #01-45 S 120448
• Carrot Cake @ Chomp Chomp #01-36 S 557269
• Hock Soon Carrot Cake @ Ghim Moh Road Market and Food Centre #01-29 S270020

13 Mee Siam 

Mee Siam

A dish of thin rice noodles served with a sweet and sour gravy made from tamarind juice, dried shrimp, and chili paste. This dish was one of the founding father, Lee Kuan Yew's favourite!

Where to find them

Mee Siam is a simple dish that can be found around Singapore. Here are some places to look for Mee Siam

• Killiney Koptitam (Locations)
• The Royals Cafe @ 19 Upper East Coast Rd, S 455209
• Lao Chai Zhou @ Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre #01-18 S 270020

14 Roti Prata 

Roti Prata

A type of Indian flatbread, often served with a variety of dips such as dhal or curry.

Where to find them

The popular places to head for Roti Patra are as follows

• Mr and Mrs Mohgan's Super Crispy Roti Prata @ 300 Joo Chiat Road S427551
• Springleaf Prata Place (Locations)
• Casuarina Curry ( Locations)

15 Curry Puffs 

Curry Puff

 Deep-fried pastries are filled with spiced potatoes, chicken, and sometimes eggs. Great for a quick bite.

Where to find them

The popular places to head for Roti Patra are as follows

• Old Chang Kee (Locations)
• J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff @ Amoy Street Food Centre #01-21
• Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff @ Hong Lim Food Center #02-36 S069184

16 Kaya Toast 

Kaya Toast

Toast with a spread of Kaya, a sweet coconut milk-based jam, served with soft-boiled eggs and coffee or tea. Another favourite breakfast meal.

Where to find them

For the complete old-school Singapore breakfast experience, head to these places

• Ya Jun Kaya Toast (Locations)
• Heap Seng Leong @ 10 North Bridge Road S190010
• Chin Mee Chin @ 204 East Coast Road S428903

17 Prawn Noodle Soup 

Prawn Noodle Soup

A hearty noodle soup made with a broth of prawn heads, pork bones, and dried shrimp, served with prawns, noodles, and leafy greens.

Where to find them

Head to these stalls for the delicious bowl of Prawn Noodles

• Beach Road Prawn Noodle House @370  East Coast Road S428981
• River South (Hoe Nam) Prawn Noodles @  31 Tai Thong Cresc, S 347859
• Blanco Court Prawn Mee @ 243 Beach Road #01-01 S189754

18 Popiah 

Popiah

A fresh spring roll filled with stewed turnips, shredded carrots, bean sprouts, and sometimes boiled eggs.

Where to find them

Popiah can be found in hawkers, coffeeshop and standalone stores.

• Kway Guan Huat Joo ChiaT Popiah @  95 Joo Chiat Rd S 427389
• Ann Chin Popiah  @ 335 Smith St #02-112, S 050335
• Good Chance Popiah Eating House @ Silat  Ave #01-58 B 149, S 160149

19 Beehoon 

Bee Hoon

Rice vermicelli noodles are often served with various accompaniments, such as stir-fried vegetables, meat, and a savoury sauce. Singaporean favourite breakfast meal.

Where to find them

Usually found in hawker centres during morning hours

• Holland V Fried Bee Hoon @ 1 Lor Manbong, S 277700
• Ah Du Economy Rice @ 17 Old Airport Road, S 397972
• Good Morning Fried Bee Hoon @58 New Upper Changi Rd

20 Ayam Buah Keluak

Ayam Buah Keluak

A traditional Peranakan dish consisting of chicken (ayam), tamarind gravy and buah keluak nuts. Eat it with rice. One of the favourite dishes of Lee Kwan Yew and his son, Lee Hsien Loong.

Where to find them

• Old Bibik's Peranakan Kitchen @ 328 Joo Chiat Road #01-02
• Peranakan Inn & Lounge @ 210 East Coast Road
• Godmama-Peranakan Restaurant @ Funan Digital Mall #04-07

These are just a few of the many local dishes popular in Singapore. The city is known for its diverse culinary scene, and there is a wide range of cuisine to try, from traditional dishes to fusion creations.

Have you tried them yet?